Buck 8 Year

BUCK 8YR *Aroma: Rich musty oak, citrus, grilled pineapple, brown sugar, and some ethanol heat. A slight sour note, but not enough to be bothersome. *Neat: Rich musty oak dominates, joined upfront by eggnog and canned peaches. The mid to back of the palate reveals cocoa powder and mild bitter tannins. A gentle Kentucky hug and a wonderful, persistent coating of that oaky funk follows a medium-length finish. *With Water: Adding a little water introduces a sweet pink bubblegum note to the aroma and palate, complementing the musty oak. *Conclusion: This offering significantly exceeds expectations for its category. An 8-year-old single barrel bourbon for under $30? I suspected it might be sourced from subpar barrels and was prepared for buyer's remorse. That was not the case. I suspect this is sourced from Heaven Hill, as I detect the eggnog and musty oak notes often found in some of their older expressions (particularly HMcK10). Keep in mind that individual experiences may vary, as the funky oak/eggnog profile is precisely to my liking, but I strongly recommend this at $30 as a daily drinker if you can locate it. It's very close to 4 stars, and considering the exceptional value, I'll give it that rating.

Remarkably young-smelling and tasting for an 8-year-old statement. Earthy, with peanut butter, peanut brittle, leather, and chalky vanilla. Just a hint of honeycomb, apple, and peach. Some sweetness is present, but the overall profile is somewhat thin, with a green, youthful, corn husk, vegetal character dominating. It's from an independent bottler, so the origin is unclear, but it carries some flavor characteristics I associate with Beam. It's not terrible; it's simply not worth the cost, tasting too young, raw, washed out, and even slightly sour.

On the nose, it presents aromas typical of a young bourbon, even though it's an 8-year-old, with prominent caramel and subtle maple syrup notes. On the palate, there's a spiciness that initially hits the tip of the tongue and gradually spreads to the sides and the back of the throat. Faint tannins emerge, quickly followed by a vanilla finish. Overall, it drinks like a very young and somewhat sharp bourbon for its 90 proof and 8-year age statement. It's easy to consume, though the retail price seems to reflect the age and brand name more than the actual quality.

I consider myself an experienced bourbon drinker, so I don't get the average ratings. Many bourbon enthusiasts I know seem to have confirmation bias (interestingly, in my experience, this isn't common in the wine world). While price doesn't always correlate with taste, there's a lot of personal opinion involved. I enjoy Buck, and at around $35-40, the price is fair. I didn't notice any harshness or heat. It actually strikes me as somewhat similar to a smooth rye. Highly recommended.

I discovered this about 10 years ago before bourbon became so popular. I enjoyed it and hadn't been able to find it since. I saw bottles in Kentucky when I visited and bought one. It's still good. A very pleasant blend of oak and sweet flavors, making it very sippable and smooth. It's not the most complex bourbon, and the mystery of its origin keeps us guessing, but it's hard to find a non-allocated bottle this good for the price.

The aroma presents coconut macaroon, crème de menthe, vanilla, cherry cobbler, and peanut shells. The initial taste is sharp and intense with notes of earthy mint, anise, and leather, followed by slightly tart fruit flavors, eventually settling into warm notes of firewood, cocoa, and espresso bean. The finish is lengthy, with lingering off-sweet flavors of dark chocolate sea salt caramel. Adding an ice cube significantly mellows it, reducing the intensity and sweetness.